"It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace"

Creation or evolution: does it matter much?

In our Sunday School class we are studying Genesis 1 and 2 and dealing with the issue of biblical creationism vs. evolution. Some may ponder does it really matter what a Christian believes about the origins of our universe? After all there are so many different options out there, so many different viewpoints even among Christians. I like how Aaron Armstrong approaches the subject:

Does it matter if Christianity and evolution are compatible or not?

When people ask this question, here’s what they (usually) really mean: Can you be a Christian and believe in evolution? That’s what people really want to know.

Understandably, Christians want to avoid setting up unnecessary barriers to their friends and family hearing the gospel and potentially coming to faith—and this is a big one.

It’s a pretty audacious claim, isn’t it? (It’s also the only creation account I’ve found so far that doesn’t involve some sort of conflict.) I totally get why people don’t “get” this and don’t see it as a “must have” of the Christian faith.

So does it really matter if Christianity and evolution are compatible?

Yep.

To be clear: this is not an issue of salvation—one can believe the gospel andbe a genuine believer while embracing evolution. However, it does present numerous problems:

Keep reading for two of the problems Aaron sees we will have if we dismiss a six-day creation model.